1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns a device for making a non-permanent connection between two optical fibers.
To be more precise, it concerns connecting devices in which each of the optical fibers is fixed into a respective holding device allowing a bared fiber end to protrude.
2. Description of the prior art
Such devices comprise:
a socket member provided with a guide member receiving the aligned two bared fiber ends, and
a clamp member in line with the guide member to immobilize the bared fiber ends by clamping them against the latter.
French Pat. Nos. 2 367 295 and 2 476 856 describe examples of devices of this type.
However, in the prior art devices the free part of the fiber (meaning the part protruding from the fiber holding device) is neither held nor oriented towards the guide member at the time the fiber is fitted into the connecting device.
Fitting the fiber therefore necessitates considerable care, limiting the use of such connecting devices to permanent or semi-permanent connections.
The invention is intended to resolve these limitations on use by virtue of a specific design of the device whereby connections and disconnections can be made repetitively without any special precautions, in the same way as with an electrical plug or plug-in connector, while simultaneously conforming to the extremely strict requirements specific to optical fibers with regard to alignment and abutting of the bared fiber ends.